( Review #1 ) The New 52 in Review, A Brief Look at our Modern Mythology

I remember growing up and grabbing the occasional Superman comic when I was a teenager. Instead of spending my allowance on candy like the other kids I thought a comic book would be the better value since it was non-perishable. I kept doing this and ended up with a small but impressive comic book collection, since back then the comics were only 75 cents. I didn’t nerd out on them completely but I enjoyed the artwork and thought it was pretty cool. I would spend hours remaking the art and practicing the pictures of Superman, Batman, and the X-Men which were the favorites of mine at the time.

My first comic book!

I always had this feeling though with every issue that I was reading that I was really missing out on the entire mythology of the events that I was reading. For instance, my first comic was a Superman #481 back in 1991, where Superman was investigating a series of grisly murders in the subway where only the skeletons of victims were left behind. It was a stand alone story so I didn’t have to worry too much about the story or continuity. But later issues I would begin to feel like I was jumping into a cool television show without watching the first 480 episodes leading up to that point. I mean I saw the movie so I knew the origin of the Superman but basically everything after that up until that issue was missed. I mean, imagine watching the last episode of Star Trek, Supernatural, or Doctor Who without catching up!

I don’t know about you but I always hated when something happened in a comic book and you would have to read a little box in the corner that had an asterisk (*) telling me what issue said event took place in. I would always feel like I was kinda the third wheel in the comic mythology and always dropped me out of the imaginary world they were trying to paint around me.

So imagine my excitement when DC Comics began their launch of The New 52 in September 2011! I was thrilled at the prospect of actually seeing the entire DC Universe being restarted and updated and people like me had a chance to jump in on a NEW mythology surrounding the DC Universe. I had to have EVERY SINGLE ISSUE of The New 52!

Luckily for me my wife was understanding to this boyhood dream and allowed me to pursue this course and let me do just that. Every issue of The New 52 starting with Superman was going to be mine! Oh yes!!! And luckily for me, the good stories and the bad I would enjoy because ultimately I actually felt like I was included in on the mythology and I wasn’t missing a single page of the DC Universe.

I felt my childhood coming back to me and this time I was doing it right! Needless to say, the owner of the comic book store and I became very good friends, probably because I immediately became his number one customer. He would round-up all my New 52 titles and a few select Marvel titles (I was collecting the Avengers Vs. X-Men titles also at that time.).

Even though The New 52 was plagued with its problems I have to say it was a worthy and valiant effort despite the political and corporate intrigue that was going on behind the scenes at DC Comics.

But with all good things, it must end. May of 2015 will see The New 52 branding resolved in their Convergence story line. But the good news is, that particular universe is going to continue this time with new titles and a different direction. Which is fine, I enjoy change, and I am excited for it and I will be right there tagging along for the ride in their universe.

With the end of The New 52 branding I thought it would be a good time to re-begin The New 52 with you! With Convergence here I will be going back to the very beginning and re-reading and analyzing the stories of The New 52 universe and giving you my take on said issues in hopes that you will join in on the modern-day mythology that we were allowed to witness written in our paper, television, movies, and even our advertising. It’ll be like going back and watching an old movie you haven’t seen an awhile and noticing something new. I hope. That’s the plan anyway!

To do this however issue by issue would take FOREVER and ultimately I think it would become very boring for you the reader to sift through issue by issue. So instead I will be gradually rounding up and collecting the volumes of trade paper backs (I’ll be collecting the Hardcover versions) which have entire story arcs instead of issue by issue content.

This is truly the mythology of this century and who knows, maybe in 1,200 years our modern-day comics and movies will be the futures ancient mythology.

I don’t collect comic books or movies. I collect mythology!

Thank you, to the Legends for giving us imagination and hope.

CE Score: 7 AWESOMELY BADASS!

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